


A Love Stronger Than Magic

by EdinaSaunders



Category: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, One Shot, Post Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 03:21:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18402077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdinaSaunders/pseuds/EdinaSaunders
Summary: Jonathan finally feels like he knows Norrell, but there’s one thing he still doesn’t talk about. Jonathan wants to find out why.





	A Love Stronger Than Magic

Arabella had made it home, Jonathan, however, had not. He remained in the darkness, his magickal home, with only Mr. Norrell for a companion. He was beside himself at first. He’d gone to so much trouble to get her back and now that she was, it was he who was gone. He and Norrell spent ages trying to find a way out, to get back home to England. Nothing ever worked. Eventually they resigned themselves to their fates and sat idle.

They had found and cast spells so that their residence would replenish itself of books, magickal supplies and food as was needed. They lived a mostly comfortable life. Often quiet, studious, and occasionally morose, but comfortable nonetheless. It was nice to be on good terms with his former tutor again. He often found himself smiling as he cast a glance over at Norrell with his face in a book. No doubt one he had already read, and perhaps even committed to memory, bu here he was, reading it again. There was a comfort in that for Jonathan. It brought a warmth and flutter to his heart.

It had taken him many attempts and many years to crack into Gilbert Norrell and learn about the man behind the magic, but he’d done it. Slowly, surely, Norrell had opened up to him, telling him more about his life, his work, everything. Or rather, almost everything. Jonathan Strange refused to believe the man had no other love in all his life besides magic and its study. This was the one topic he still refused to speak upon, and Jonathan could not fathom why that was.

One evening, a particularly dull one at that, Jonathan was performing some casual parlor tricks to keep himself entertained while Norrell sat reading and occasionally watching the small wonders of amusement. As soon as he ceased his illusion work, he cast his glance over at Norrell and met his gaze. Norrell quickly cast his eyes back down at his open book, which Jonathan knew hadn’t had a page turned in quite a long time. He’d been watching.

"Shall I pour us some wine? Perhaps it will make the evening a little less dreary," Jonathan suggested. Norrell looked back up from his book and gave a small but firm nod. Jonathan rose and crossed the room before grabbing two glasses and a bottle for them. After pouring, he stood next to Norrell's chair, arm extended with the full glass. He was biding his time now, until he broached that untouchable subject.

Norrell drank slowly. This was getting him nowhere. Jonathan sighed inwardly. He doubted he’d get any results from the topic sober, but perhaps it was his only hope. He waited long enough for Norrell's glass to empty, then he spoke up. "Why do you never tell me of your loves," Jonathan asked. "Certainly there was at least one person Gilbert Norrell has loved in his life?"

Norrell grumbled quietly at the mention of the subject, but shut his book. "Why are you so curious," he questioned.

"It’s only that I know everything else about you after all this time, but that’s the one thing you never speak of. For what else should I enquire about?"

"There was one, many years ago, many years even before I met you. It did not end well," Norrell told, stopping there and making a motion to reopen his book.

"That cannot be the whole story," Jonathan pressed carefully.

"It is all you shall know."

"Gil," Jonathan pleaded.

Norrell looked back at the man across from him. It was not often he called him that. He knew Strange used it fondly, and if he were honest, he liked the nickname, maybe not for constant usage, but it made him feel giddy. Norrell sighed. Though he still wished not to talk about it, he knew Strange would not relent.

"He was a decent man, but he did not like my pursuit of magic, and magic was my life’s work. I could not give that up." Norrell went quiet again.

"He?" Jonathan had not meant to speak the question aloud. He had once had the fleeting notion of Norrell being attracted to other men, but he had dared not assume, not hope.

"See, this is precisely the reason I kept it from you," Norrell declared, rising from his chair and becoming agitated.

"You have me wrong, Norrell. I do not judge you. On the contrary, I sympathize with you. I have loved another man in my time. We were young, yes, but I loved him no less than I loved Arabella when we were married."

"You did," Norrell asked, his tone now softened by Jonathan's confession.

"I did." Now Jonathan rose from his seat and stepped towards Norrell. "I feel much the same now, about you."

Norrell could feel the tremble course through him. This could not be. Strange had never led him to believe that he was similarly inclined. But here he stood before him, closer than they’d ever stood. "I- I had no idea," Norrell stuttered.

Jonathan smiled, putting his hand under Norrell's chin. "Come now, you stuffy, old curmudgeon," he teased lightly. "Kiss me." Jonathan had been the one to lean in, while Norrell stood frozen and received his kiss. Finally, he regained his wits and kissed the man back. He had long yearned for Jonathan Strange in this way, and now by some force even stronger than magic, he had him.

**Author's Note:**

> If you’d like to see more for this pairing, please leave me a request. 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are welcome and encouraged.


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